Garland Robinette

Garland: MAKE IT STOP

by Garland Robinette,posted Jan 26 2012 3:54PM

Following the murder of a good Samaritan in Algiers, who was killed in front of his own children while trying to prevent a carjacking, Garland Robinette had one of his most moving and emotional shows since Katrina. This is a transcript of what Garland had to say.

I don’t know about you...40 years later I’m exhausted...different places and different names...just continues...feels like all the time.

We canceled the show we were scheduled to do after a carjacker took over a car from a woman in Algiers; when a man ran to help, he got shot right in front of his own kids. But, the very thought of having to watch your father shot and then sit with him and watch him die...I don’t know where we go from here.

I already know why we will be told this happens, and I already know what we will be told will happen. I’ve heard most of it before. I was the one who asked Chief Compass about “Cease Fire” in Chicago. If something works in another city, why not try it here? But, I hear...”Garland, we can’t afford it; that can’t work here.” Well, we have “Cease Fire” now. We get criminologists up here on our show, people involved trying to do something about this crime problem...I say I’m excited about it. But I’m told, “Well, Garland we have to take a look at the funding.” So I know what I’m gonna hear and I’ve heard it before.

Later in the show, a listener texted Garland at 870870 and implied that Garland (and others in the community) only cared about this particular murder because a white person had been killed. This is Garland’s response.

This is one of the reasons I don’t read the texts to my show. “Garland, where have you been? This has been going on in the black community since the 80s…children die there too, and now that it’s white children, you feel it.” No, I haven’t seen a TV today...I have no idea if they’re black or white or brown or yellow. But YOU’re the problem. This always has a racial tint to it, doesn’t it? ALWAYS.

I’ll put my record for trying to help the minority community...those that can’t fight for themselves... against anybody, any time, any day…Times Picayune, TV, you name it. I’ve done as much as all of you have, if not more. And I’ve shed tears for black kids, too. But people like you...like YOU, are intent to turn this into a racial battle. And you’re part of what’s KILLING US! Because the white people and the black people and the brown people and the yellow people that want to talk, that want to communicate, that want to put our skin tones aside, that want to put our differences aside…to find out what’s killing our children, and stop it?? No. It’s poor little Garland, crying on the radio, “because those white folks got killed.” You make me sick. You absolutely make me sick, and everybody that thinks like you do.

And I’m tired of it.

You know what people like you say? And don’t you DARE say I mean black people by “people like you.” I MEAN the RACISTS in this community…you say, “If you don’t like the place, why don’t you move?” And then when we move, you go, “Well, all those people are deserting New Orleans, but they come back and work here.”

It’s people like you that are killing us as much as the killers.

I don’t know about anybody else, the media that broadcasts racism. And this show is NOT ONE OF THEM, and never has been, and never will be. To the contrary – you should read my mail from the non-minorities that disagree with what I say here when I defend those who can’t defend themselves, SIX years of it. You want to go watch the Spike Lee documentary and see the kind of heat I took from that? And, I didn’t care if I took the heat or not, because I said what I felt.

And the texts, and your comments in the printed media, and on television, and on radio...wherever you can write it without identifying yourselves, you are us too. Because you are afraid to talk about the problem. It always has the patina of, “we can’t get together on THIS.” There are those out there that FIGHT to divide us, and then scream bloody murder because we get divided. This is about CHILDREN. It’s about CHILDREN! It’s that simple. And, if we are so incredibly ignorant here, that we have to hold on to the hatred...whether it be the past, the present, or the future...that’s when I say, Why can’t we find the answer?

Look, I just pulled out my file on crime. CDC says murder has dropped off the list of top 15 killers for the first time in 45 years, nationwide. Christian Science Monitor: “US Crime at lowest point in decades… Why is America Safer now?” Incarceration being increased, keeping criminals off the street longer, ut now, when I say that, the powers that be say, “That’s not true…incarceration doesn’t work.” OR, “It costs too much to incarcerate them.” Or, how about we incarcerate more and more people over marijuana, and MAKE SURE that we can’t afford it? EVERY DAMN ANSWER is, “nah, that won’t work” …Nah, you know it’s the Blacks’ fault...it’s those damn Latinos, they’re just coming into the city and they’re taking over…and those Vietnamese sit over there by themselves.”

God… The stupidity is sometimes just STAGGERYING in this city. Am I upset? Did I weep? Absolutely, with no apologies to any of you. I weep for my child and yours, regardless of color, or how much money you make. Because we’re all going down with this…and what I think we should hear soon, is something very strange. It’s called AN ANSWER TO MAKE IT STOP.

IT IS NOT BLACK OR WHITE OR YELLOW IT IS THE COLOR OF BLOOD THAT IS STAINING THE STREET OF NEW ORLEANS.

01/27/2012 1:47AM

Garland:

We have to listen to each other, if we have any chance of "making it stop." Even if we think we already "know" what the other person, or the caller, or the whatever, is going to say. If s/he is still saying it, that means that that person feels he/she HASN'T BEEN HEARD yet (excluding most politicians, of course). When you cut off the man on Wed. that kept trying to say he was paying so much more already than a few years ago, and you just said that we HAVE to cough up more $, I felt that perhaps he was trying to say that he's hurting financially, and that he needed that to be heard, before he could get past that point. At that point, the discussion needs to start THERE. Once his worries have been acknowledged, and even shared, then he can move on. Until then, he can't listen. I heard a similar dilemma in you, I thought--maybe. That's how we are; we can't move toward consensus until each feels that s/he has been heard. Not found "right,"--just heard. THEN we are better able to move outside ourselves and truly hear what the other people have to say. Yes, this process takes time. But, as you say, it's been 40 years and little or no progress. Every viewpoint and concern and worry has to be heard before people can truly move forward together. That's how we learn, how we change, how we develop the will to push on together toward a difficult goal. Without that process, solutions will be spotty and will probably fail again. Thanks.

01/27/2012 6:47AM

Solution?

Is there a solution, no, because that implies "do this" and it will stop. However maybe really having a death penalty, not one that takes 10 or 20 years WILL slow this down. When you catch these guys, give them a fair trial and then give them justice quickly.......that will make many of them think twice. Great words Garland....your passion is felt by just reading them, wish I could have heard it. Finally to anyone who thinks you are a racist, those people are complete idiots. I don't always agree with you, but you have always been fair! Keep it up!

01/27/2012 8:53AM

IT'S THE JUSTICE SYSTEM

I have not slept well for the last two nites. I didn't know Mike Ainsworth, but in my heart I know his two little boys. Those children will be scarred for life. They will NEVER be the same. When the ANIMAL who killed their dad in cold blood is found, I would bet everything I own that he has a rap sheet and should STILL BE IN JAIL. When are we going to stop thugs from staying in jail for the crimes they commit. I would happily pay more taxes to keep these idiots incarcerated. The thugs will never, no they will never change. Yes, maybe with education, etc, we MIGHT change the mindset of some of the kids starting in that direction, but it will take more than a generation. Do we have that much time? Yes, illegal guns should be taken off the street. Let's see: how will that happen - I know!!! Knock, knock - 'Sir, do you have an illegal gun in your home? Man: "Well, yes, officer, I sure do, let me go get it for you". Are we so stupid to believe that will actually happen? WE MUST GET CRIMINALS OFF THE STREET AND KEEP THEM OFF THE STREET!!!! WAKE UP NEW ORLEANS!

01/27/2012 8:54AM

No Jazz Fest for me this year!

I just made the decision not to come. Your town has gone over the top. The last time I was there was when the guy was shooting on Burboun Street. I'm done. Sad, very sad.

02/05/2012 8:52AM

WWL should be ashamed

Garland Robinette is a no good MF. He is pond scum and should be taken off the air. Keep taking bribes to dish out whatever news is being bought!!!!
You have NO credibility along with WWL for keeping you.

02/06/2012 4:35PM

False Beliefs

We are all products of our environment. This is a cause and effect world. Our beliefs are the cause of the things that we do, and our beliefs are instilled in us during our formative years. The only way to change ourselves and our world is to change what we believe about ourselves and our world. Our politics, our morals, as well as our religions are simply social agreements based on our beliefs about what is right and what is wrong. The problem is that being "right" has become more important to us than truth. We have turned our social agreements into social disagreements that have become arenas, like the old coliseums of Rome, and the American people have become gladiators fighting for one "side" or the other. Honesty and integrity doesn't mean "squat" in an arena, it's all about winning and being right. Whether it is the intellectual pride of the intelligentsia, or the self righteousness of religious believers, being right is all that matters and adulterating truth has become our way of life. Without a lie, criminal becomes lack. The one Truth is Love, therefore all lack boils down to a lack of Love.

02/09/2012 6:22AM

Fggghhhyggg

God is the answer

05/30/2012 10:22AM

Wow your listeners are tough

Unfortunately i think it has gone too far to be retrieved. The blacks have an agenda and we are not privy to that agenda. I really get the feeling that we are grabbing for that apple in Eden and we are about to be shut out of paradise. It may be time toerase the slate and start over.